Education

Airs Sunday, September 17, 2017, at 6 p.m. There may be nothing more important in the educational life of a child than having effective teachers. But the United States is struggling to attract and keep teachers. The problem is most acute in rural areas, where kids may learn math from a social studies teacher. In urban schools, the teachers most likely to leave are black men, who make up just 2 percent of teachers.

Airs Sunday, October 2, at 6 p.m. Today, more than two million Americans are incarcerated. But every year about 700,000 prisoners return to society. About half of those released will be back behind bars within three years. One of the best, most cost-effective ways to reduce recidivism is to provide education to inmates. In this documentary, we follow a class of imprisoned students trying to make their way through their first semester, from orientation through final exams.

Aired Friday, November 6, at 11 a.m. Bill Beckett spoke with Tracy Pinkerton, the Executive Director for the Angelina Arts Alliance, about Mobilizing our Community with Kevin Reese, which takes place November 9 – 13. For more information visit online the Angelina Arts Alliance or Call 936-633-5454.

Airs Sunday, October 11, at 6 p.m. The longest war in American history is drawing to a close. Now, the men and women who served are coming home, and many hope to use higher education to build new, better lives. They have help from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a piece of legislation that many advocates say offers more support to returning veterans than any policy since the original GI Bill of 1944. In this documentary, we explore how the first GI Bill revolutionized the lives of millions of young veterans.

Airs Sunday, October 4, at 6 p.m. Research shows good teaching makes a big difference in how much kids learn. But the United States lacks an effective system for training new teachers or helping them get better once they’re on the job. This documentary examines why, and asks what it would take to improve American teaching on a wide scale. We meet researchers who are trying to understand what makes teaching complex, and how to determine whether someone is ready to be a teacher. We also visit U.S.